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TUESDAY EDITION: IC-7610 vs. Elecraft K4D VIDEO.....

Discovery of Pluto Special Event W7P

In its 5th year of a 10 year long special event leading up to the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Pluto, W7P will be active February 15-23, 2025.

The Northern Arizona DX Association will be continuing with year five of the 10-year special event countdown to the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tompaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. This annual 9-day event is held each February through the 2030 anniversary. This year’s event will take place February 15-23, 2025 (UTC).

Club members will be operating from Lowell Observatory and their home QTHs using the special event callsign W7P. The annual cards have subjects centered around Clyde Tombaugh, the discovery of Pluto, the moons of Pluto, some of his early telescopes, lenses used, etc., with lots of great information.

QSL card and certificate information may be found here.

Learning Opportunity - On the Air Live: “How to Use Your Handheld Radio

ARRL is helping members get the most out of amateur radio through On the Air Live, a monthly series of training sessions. The live events are hosted by ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, and offer a deep dive into topics hams will find useful. “We had a great crowd at January’s On the Air Live,” said Greene. “We showed folks how to get started in slow scan television (SSTV).”

The next OTA Live is February 25 at 8:00 PM EST and will be on the topic of “How to Use Your Handheld Radio.” Registration in advance is required, but is free for ARRL members. If you can’t make the live event, a recording will be available in the ARRL Learning Center

“On the Air Live is a perfect intersection of education and inspiration. We want participants to come away empowered and inspired to make the most of their involvement in ham radio,” said ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA.

The monthly events tie in with content from On the Air magazine, which will match the current subject matter of OTA Live. All ARRL members have digital access to On the Air and three other high quality magazines at www.arrl.org/magazines

“We look forward to having members join us for OTA Live. The more, the merrier, and we hope to help get hams more involved in the hobby,” said Greene. 

Find On the Air Live and replays in the ARRL Learning Center at learn.arrl.org.

 

MONDAY EDITION: I am glad Philly won and Brady is still the GOAT....the halftime nightmare was the worst thing I  have ever seen or heard.....

Film Capacitors Can Go In The Wrong Way Round? Who Knew!

You can work with a part for many decades, and still learn something new about it. At least we can, and we don’t mind admitting it. Take film capacitors — we all know they aren’t a polarized part like an electrolytic capacitor is, but as [TheDannVal] points out, that doesn’t mean both their leads are the same.

This might sound counterintuitive, but if you consider for a moment their construction it makes sense. A film capacitor is made from two strips of foil with a strip of plastic film between then, rolled up tightly into a cylinder. One of the pieces of foil that forms one side of the capacitor ends up on the outside of the cylinder, and thus forms the shield for the other. Thus if that side isn’t connected to the lower impedance side of whichever circuitry it resides in, it can pick up noise, while the inside strip of foil can not. It’s so obvious when demonstrated, but we have to admit to never having considered it before. Some film capacitors have a line marked on them to denote the connection forming the shield, for those that don’t he provides a couple of methods for detecting it.

The full video is below the break, and maybe you too can now pay attention to your capacitors for lower noise audio circuitry.

Blog – Hackaday Read More

What are the suspicious signals being picked up by Ham radios along the India-Bangladesh border?

Kolkata: Amateur Ham radio operators have detected unauthorised late-night radio transmissions in coded Bengali, Urdu, and Arabic along the Indo-Bangladesh border in South Bengal, raising security concerns amid growing unrest in Bangladesh.

The signals, intercepted between 1 am and 3 am over the past two months, have been reported from Basirhat and Bongaon in North 24 Parganas and the Sunderbans in South 24 Parganas. Alarmed by these transmissions, Ham radio operators alerted the Ministry of Communications, which forwarded the matter to the International Monitoring Station (Radio) in Kolkata for further investigation.

What makes these signals suspicious?

According to Ambarish Nag Biswas, secretary of the West Bengal Radio Club, the transmissions follow an unusual pattern. "The global norm among Ham radio users is that if a third party enters an ongoing communication, they must identify themselves using a radio identification code or call sign. But in these cases, whenever we asked for identification, the signals went silent. The pattern remained the same in all instances," he said.

Biswas explained that the first such signal was detected in mid-December by a Ham radio operator in Sodepur, North 24 Parganas. Initially dismissed as an isolated incident, similar signals were later picked up from Basirhat, Bongaon, and South 24 Parganas. Even during the Gangasagar Mela in mid-January, multiple Ham radio users reported hearing these coded transmissions.

"These signals are in coded Bengali, Urdu, and Arabic, sometimes with a Bangladeshi accent. There are also instances of another unidentified language," Biswas added.

Security agencies step in

Following reports from Biswas, security agencies have begun investigating the matter. Officials from the Ministry of Communications and a senior security agency representative visited him to gather more details about the signals.

A senior BSF official, when contacted, acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. "Unidentified radio chatter along the border is always a matter of concern. If we receive details from Ham radio users, we will use our resources to track the source of these transmissions," he said.

Officials suspect that smugglers and extremist groups may be using Ham radio frequencies to communicate, as these are harder to monitor compared to mobile networks and emails, which are more easily tracked.

Similar incidents in the past

This is not the first time Ham radio operators have detected suspicious transmissions along the Indo-Bangladesh border. In 2002-03, similar communications were intercepted, leading to the arrest of six extremists operating illegal radio stations from Gangasagar in South 24 Parganas. At that time, the transmissions were in Pashto.

A similar incident occurred in 2016, when suspicious radio activity was detected in border areas. In 2017, just before communal clashes erupted in Basirhat, Ham radio users picked up unidentified transmissions from the region.

India and Bangladesh share a 4,096-km border, with 2,217 km along West Bengal—much of it porous. The latest radio activity comes amid heightened tensions between the two nations following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina from power in Dhaka last August. Relations have further strained after Hasina fled to India on August 5.

Adding to the tensions, the recent arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das has intensified concerns, with India expressing alarm over continued attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.

Amidst the rising uncertainty, Ham radio operators continue to monitor the situation. "Ham radio users are not only hobbyists but also serve as the eyes and ears in remote areas where traditional communication networks may not be accessible," Biswas said.

 

WEEKEND EDITION: Superbowl weekend is here, I would like to see the Eagles win but who knows....

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN), founded on Labor Day weekend 1965, is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. The net, known for relaying surface observations into the National Hurricane Center, is also seeking volunteers to serve as net control operators. 

Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, reports HWN is preparing for what could be, yet again, an above-average hurricane season and that the net needs more amateur radio operators to help.

“We are starting early this year in preparations and looking to add more net control stations to our roster,” said Graves. “We are looking for dedicated new members willing to train to become net control operators (NCOs). While being bilingual is not a requirement, being fluent in Spanish and English or French/Creole and English is a plus.”

If you are interested in training to become a net control operator for the Hurricane Watch Net, please visit the net control information page, hwn.org/about-us/ncs_info.html.

2-220-440 finally but at what price?

Finally, after many years, fans of the Kenwood brand will be able to buy a brand new vehicle-mounted transceiver; the last of Kenwood, the TM-71 and TM-710 were marketed in 2008, with a sort of "restyling" in 2013 (TM-D710GE).
At the American trade fair Hamcation was presented this new model, TM-D750, is a dual-band VHF-UHF FM and D-Star with a large detachable front panel (183x93cm/7.22×3.66in), with a 3.45-inch color graphic display and front speaker, equipped with double simultaneous listening. The full features have not yet been disclosed, but for now we only know that it has a built-in TNC for APRS and packet radio, GPS, Wi-Fi and bluetooth module, USB-C port and 2 micro SD cards, probably to record audio.

Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act Re-Introduced

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Richard Blumenthal, D- Conn., and Representatives August Pfluger, R-Tex., and Joe Courtney, D-Conn. announced their joint re-introduction of legislation in the Senate and House to restore the right to Amateur Radio operators to install the antennas necessary to serve their communities.

Homeowner association rules often prevent Amateur Radio operators from installing antennas at their homes even though Amateur Radio has proven to be essential in emergencies and natural disasters such as hurricanes when other means of communication fail.

“Mississippians should have access to every possible means of warning for natural disasters, including amateur radio operators. In an emergency, those warnings can mean the difference between life and death,” Senator Wicker said. “The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act would remove unnecessary roadblocks that could help keep communities safe during emergencies like tornadoes, hurricanes, and fires.”

“When disaster strikes, amateur radio operators provide vital, often life-saving information, which shouldn’t be hindered by prohibitive rules or confusing approval processes. The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act eliminates obstacles for ham radio enthusiasts, allowing them to continue their communications and serve their communities in the face of emergencies,” said Senator Blumenthal.

Read more American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources – Read More

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

HAM TO TRANSMIT SSTV IMAGES FROM 1ST POLAR-ORBIT SPACEFLIGHT

JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us high above the North Pole and the South Pole. A ham radio operator is one of four astronauts scheduled to orbit the Earth in the weeks ahead via both poles -- for the first time -- as we hear from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: A ham radio operator is one of four astronauts who will be aboard the first spaceflight to orbit the Earth via the North and South poles. The mission aboard the Fram2 is scheduled to last anywhere from 3 to 5 days after its scheduled launch sometime after the 1st of March. The spacecraft ‘s name is a tribute to the Fram, a Norwegian-built ship used on expeditions to both poles during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The space mission’s pilot Rabea Rogge of Germany is that nation's first female astronaut. She holds the amateur radio callsigns LB9NJ and KD3AID. She will transmit SSTV images using the amateur radio equipment on board. Although the images are to be sent as part of a high school and university competition for students, the images may also be received by any amateur radio operator capable of receiving SSTV transmissions. After the mission is complete, the images will also be available for viewing on the SSTV gallery of Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.

This is also an ambitious scientific research mission. Flying an estimated 425 to 450 km above both poles, the flight is expected to present unprecedented views of both polar regions. The crew will conduct a variety of scientific experiments on board.

Rabea’s crew mates on the Dragon spacecraft will be commander Chun Wang of Malta, vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen of Norway and mission specialist Eric Philips of Australia.

Additional details about the mission and each crew member can be found by following the link that appears in the text version of this week’s newscast at ARNewsline.org

[Do not read: https://f2.com/ ]

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(AMATEUR RADIO DAILY, FRAM2 WEBSITE, SPACEFLIGHT NOW)

**
AUSTRIAN SHORTWAVE SITE DISMANTLED

JIM/ANCHOR: What was once radio history in Austria is now, as expected, reduced to rubble. We have details from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The historic short-wave radio transmitting site at Moosbrunn, Austria, has been dismantled. The Austrian newspaper, Der Standard, reports that the demolition in late January marks the end of a long episode in broadcast history. The destruction was described in the newspaper as [quote] "a precise, targeted explosion." [endquote]

The facility, built during the Cold War Era, had once been home to Radio Austria International. After Radio Austria went off the air in 2003, the transmitter was used by international broadcasters such as Radio D.A.R.C. a programme produced by the German national amateur radio society. After the closure of the Moosbrunn site at the end of December 2024, Radio D.A.R.C. moved to the short-wave station in Woofferton, England, which has been carrying it since January.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(RADIO WORLD, DER STANDARD.DE)

**
GET READY FOR WORLD RADIO DAY

JIM/ANCHOR: World Radio Day, February 13th, was adopted in 2012 by the United Nations to acknowledge radio's role in people's lives everywhere. Although the focus is usually on broadcast radio services, amateur radio will be involved in some events around the world. This year's theme is "Radio and Climate Change." One of the many international events happening involves the Shanghai Coast Radio Station XSG, which maintains a Global Maritime Distress and Safety System as well as Morse code telegraph services, The station is hosting a two-day Crossband Event in which the radio station will communicate via CW with amateur radio operators, with each side transmitting on their authorized frequencies while monitoring the other party's frequencies. The event runs from 00:00 UTC on the 12th of February to 00:00 UTC the next day.

For a list of amateur radio frequencies that XSG will be monitoring for ham transmissions, see the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ:

3521.3-3526.3kHz

7021.3-7026.3kHz

10121.3-10126.3kHz

14021.3-14026.3kHz

21021.3-21026.3kHz

(SWLING POST; RADIOREFERENCE.COM)

**
TURKISH AMATEURS ACTIVATE IN MEMORY OF EARTHQUAKE VICTIM

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in Turkey are remembering a friend and fellow amateur who lost his life two years ago when a deadly earthquake rocked the region. Jason Daniels VK2LAW tells us what they're doing.

JASON: Mustafa Asim Ezer, TA8DX, was 44 years old and, with his wife, he was eagerly awaiting the birth of a daughter in just a few days when a catastrophic earthquake shook Turkey on the 6th of February, 2023. They had even picked out the baby’s name: Pera.

An avid radio operator, mountaineering enthusiast and search-and-rescue volunteer, Mustafa did not survive the 7.8 magnitude quake, which shook southern Turkey, northern Syria and neighbouring regions.

His fellow amateurs are using the special event callsign TC8DX through the 17th of February to honour the memory of one of their own - a businessman and outdoorsman who gave back so generously to his community. His fellow hams are remembering him as the founder of an amateur radio association in Kahramanmaras and an active supporter of many activities on HF and the VHF-UHF bands.

Mustafa’s final gesture of support to his community came in 2023, shortly before his death. He was among those activating special event station TC100TC to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey.

Two years later, his fellow hams now mark a more somber anniversary and remember their friend.

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(425DX BULLETIN, TADX.ORG)

**
BRAZIL'S NAVY OKs 1ST ARCHIPELAGO DXPEDITION IN 23 YEARS

JIM/ANCHOR: For the first time in 23 years, amateur radio operators have been granted permission for a DXpedition from a South American archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has the details.

JEREMY: A DXpedition is going forward to the St. Peter & St. Paul Rocks in the Atlantic Ocean after ham radio operators with the Araucária DX Group received permission to operate. The team said that the authority came from the Brazilian Navy, which operates a research station on the archipelago's major islet, Belmonte. The activation of the callsign PY0S will signal the first activation of its kind from the archipelago since the PTØS DXpedition in November of 2012. The Araucária team plans to travel in October or November to the site, which is the 14th among ClubLog's Most Wanted DX entities.

According to a press release, the hams have a goal going beyond calling QRZ. They said they want to "increase world-wide awareness of this unique rock formation and the role played by the Brazilian Navy in scientific research and study of this extremely difficult and rare environment." [endquote]

The operation will not be on the rocks themselves. As stipulated by the Navy permit, the team will be on a boat anchored not far from the shore. Five Radios in a Box will be used for operating CW, SSB and FT 8 on 160 through to 6 metres. There will be six local operators: Adrian KO8SCA, Fred PY2XB, George AA7JV, Mike KN4EEI, Peter PY5CC and Tomi HA7RY, along with a number of remote operators.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(ARAUCARIA DX GROUP, 425 DX BULLETIN)

**
AUSTRALIAN REGULATOR FINALIZES LICENSE-FEE CHANGES

JIM/ANCHOR: Faced with the upcoming sunset of methods used to calculate fees for repeaters, beacons and some apparatus amateur licenses, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has finalized small changes it is making. These changes, based on a new methodology, will take effect after the 1st of April sunset of the previous method. The result is that repeaters, beacons and non-assigned apparatus licenses will be assessed $52.62 annually. The changes do not affect those holding Australian class licenses, which have no annual fees. The ACMA said in its February 5th announcement that it has not yet finalized its apparatus license tax reforms for radionavigation-satellite service repeaters.

**

HAM CLUB LIVES THE GOOD LIFE IN RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

JIM/ANCHOR: Life is good in one senior living community in Maryland, where retirees have a small but active ham club - and respectable log of contacts. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us about them.

ANDY: The Charlestown Amateur Radio Club KB3CAN has an outlook that is anything but retiring. With only a small membership in a Maryland retirement community, the club recently completed Winter Field Day with 95 digital and SSB contacts in the log. Last summer, members were active in in ARRL Field Day and the Maryland QSO Party.

The club has something else to celebrate - the second year since its rebirth on the grounds of Charlestown Senior Living, a nonprofit retirement community in suburban Catonsville that provides continuing care ranging from independent living to skilled nursing.

Club president Gary Rogers KO3F [Kay Oh Three Eff] said that although the community has a long history of having an amateur radio club, the original club had to be dismantled more than a decade ago to accommodate building renovations. When Gary moved there in 2022 and discovered that his apartment’s construction made it difficult to get on the air easily, he met with two members of the original club to start things up again.

Gary told Newsline in an email that the administration wasn’t just on board but became part of the rebirth. He said [Quote] “The administration not only approved but assigned their maintenance staff to run the coax through the conduit to the roof and install the antennas with me supervising.” [Endquote] Installations were completed by November of 2023 - everything from the grounding system to ensuring the roof warranty was not compromised by the presence of antennas. There are 10 club members ranging from their 70s to their 90s.

Gary said the club recently developed the capability to do Winlink, a global email system that uses radio frequencies instead of the internet. The club’s next step is to explore how members can get on the air remotely from their apartments.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(GARY ROGERS, KO3F; PATCH.COM)

**

DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR SOFTWARE AWARD NOMINEES

JIM/ANCHOR: You have until the 28th of February to nominate your favorite ham radio open source software project for the 6th annual Amateur Radio Software Award! This international honor promotes free innovative software that enhances the ham radio experience. Past winners include David Rowe, VK5DGR, for Codec 2, Anthony Good, K3NG, for Arduino CW Keyer and Jordan Sherer, KN4CRD, for JS8Call. Find award rules and the official nomination form at A R S award dot com. (arsaward.com)

(AMATEUR RADIO SOFTWARE AWARD)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Mika [MEE Kuh], OH2FFP, is operating as OJ1ABOA from Aboa Research Station, Antarctica, IOTA number AN-016 until the 12th of February. QSL via OH2FFP.

Listen for Bruno, VE3BRU operating as S79/VE3BRU from Mahe [MAH HAY], IOTA number AF-024, Seychelles until the 20th of February, using CW and SSB on 40-10 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Bernhard, DL2GAC, is using the callsign H44MS from Malaita [MUH-LIGHT-A], IOTA number OC-047, in the Solomon Islands between the 9th of February through to the 7th of May. He will be calling QRZ on 80-6 metres using SSB and FT8. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

The special-event callsign II3MPL [EYE EYE THREE MPL] is on the air through the 1st of May, marking the 50th anniversary of ARI Merano/Meran IQ3MP. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Marty, KE4TT, is on the air as P4/KE4TT from Aruba, IOTA number SA-036 until the 11th of March, using CW, SSB and FT8 on various HF bands. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: SQUIRRELING AWAY A PERSONAL TREASURE

JIM/ANCHOR: For this week's final story, we tell you about one SOTA activator's highest summit of achievement. It's actually no bigger than a card that could fit in his wallet. We hear about him from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

RALPH: Ray, KD8EQA, is still a few weeks away from achieving Mountain Goat status as a SOTA activator -- but even in the three-plus years he's been involved in Summits On The Air, the Colorado ham has found many kinds of meaningful recognition, most of them with a connection to animals. As a SOTA chaser, he received a Rooster Award from his friend Steve, WGØAT, after 50 successful contacts with activators on Mt. Herman. This unofficial honor was granted in memory of Steve's two beloved goats, Peanut and Rooster. Ray later became an official Shack Sloth, achieving 1,000 points chasing summits throughout Colorado.

As both the elevations and Ray's point score began to soar, so did his enchantment with the natural beauty around him. Becoming a ham in 2021, it didn't take long for the avid hiker to step out with his portable gear: His first SOTA activation was on Mt. Antero [ANN TERRO], a so-called "fourteener" for its 14 thousand plus feet above sea level. Enchanted by nature's vistas and animals - from moose to hummingbird - Ray has had his share of what he considers "wow moments."

What he received in June of 2023 has no equal in his eyes. It was not the 4 points he got that day for his activation on Devil's Head summit. No, Ray was in the national forest specifically to visit the active fire tower, where Ashley, the tower's lookout officer, had promised to present him with a card bestowing membership in something the Forest Service called the Ancient and Honorable Order of Squirrels. An internet search shows that, at least since the 1940s, the forest lookouts have presented these cards at active fire towers around the US to raise public awareness of the perils of forest fires.

To Ray, there is no greater honor than being a card-carrying Forest Service squirrel. The card is a tangible reminder of all that was once good in our world so long ago and still surrounds us now. "I cherish this," he told Newsline: [quote] "It is one of the most valuable things I own." [endquote]

FRIDAY EDITION: I went to Market Basket early before the milk and toilet paper ran out, the frenzy begins before snow storm hype..Looks like a lot of laid off government workers with no skills are being laid off, maybe they should get a hobby like ham radio to fill their time while looking for a real job. Love or hate Trump, but he is draining the swamp and backfilling it....My oldest son has had chickens for years, smart boy along with his bee hives.....Eggs were just $3.99 today at MB, no big deal....

Senators Wicker, Blumenthal Reintroduce Legislation to Protect Amateur Radio Operators

February 6, 2025

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., today reintroduced the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act, which would give amateur radio operators the right to install amateur radio antennas and serve their communities. Many homeowner associations prevent amateur radio operators from installing outdoor antennas on residential properties. However, this communication method has proven to be essential in emergencies and natural disasters, such as hurricanes in states like Mississippi and Connecticut.

“Mississippians should have access to every possible means of warning for natural disasters, including amateur radio operators. In an emergency, those warnings can mean the difference between life and death,” Senator Wicker said. “The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act would remove unnecessary roadblocks that could help keep communities safe during emergencies like tornadoes, hurricanes, and fires.”

“When disaster strikes, amateur radio operators provide vital, often life-saving information, which shouldn’t be hindered by prohibitive rules or confusing approval processes. The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act eliminates obstacles for ham radio enthusiasts, allowing them to continue their communications and serve their communities in the face of emergencies,” said Senator Blumenthal.

Background:

The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act would limit the scenarios in which homeowner associations could ban, prevent, or require approval for the installation or use of amateur radio antennas.

Among other provisions, this legislation would:

  • Prohibit homeowner association rules that prevent or ban amateur radio antennas;
  • Clarify the approval process for installing amateur radio antennas; and
  • Give amateur radio operators a private right of action.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Parcae: A Trio of Spy Satellites

Did you ever hear of a satellite called Parcae (pronounced like park-eye)? If you haven’t, don’t feel bad—it was, after all, a top-secret project only revealed in July 2023. [Ivan Amato] not only heard about it, but also wrote a fascinating peek into the cloak-and-dagger world of cold-war spy satellites for this month’s IEEE Spectrum.

According to [Ivan], the satellite helped the United States to keep track of Russian submarines and was arguably the most capable orbiting spy platform ever. Or, at least, that we get to hear about.

Given that it was built in the 1970s, it was amazing that the satellite wasn’t very large. The craft itself seemed small compared to its solar panels. Even today, the satellite remains a bit of a mystery. While the NRO—the US spy satellite agency—did acknowledge its existence in 2023, there is very little official information about it, although, apparently, other curious people have unearthed data on Parcae over the years. According to the NRO, the satellites have not been in use since 2008.

The Parcae—named after the Romans’ three fates—worked in groups of three and launched in a “dispenser” that carried the trio of spaceships. They could listen to radio emissions from ships and use very accurate clocks to pinpoint their location based on the slight differences in the time each satellite heard the signal.

One of the system’s unique features was that thanks to a minicomputer, ship positions could be in users’ hands in minutes. That doesn’t sound so impressive today, but it was an amazing achievement for that time.

The article goes into more detail about how the individual satellites used a gravity boom for orientation and a lot of details about the designers. Of course, some of what Parcae could do is still secret for now, so there may be more to this story later.

Spy satellites can’t always hide from backyard telescopes. Spy satellites always have impressive technology and—presumably—big budgets.

Blog – Hackaday Read More

 

THURSDAY EDITION: More snow, a few inches and another storm on Saturday night, good time to play radio...Over the weekend, the Federal Aviation Administration officially designated the airspace above the Caesars Superdome as a “No Drone Zone” during and ahead of the big game. Drone operators who do fly their devices into the restricted area, accidentally or otherwise, could have their drones confiscated or receive hefty fines up to $75,000. The decision comes just weeks after a hobbyist drone collided with a plane helping combat wildfires in California and amid an uptick in drone sightings around the country. 

Circa 1906. "Engine, Mount Washington Railway, White Mountains, New Hampshire." The little engine that could also serve as a portable pizza oven.

Yes, ginger ale really does taste better on a plane. Here’s why.

I love enjoying a free carbonated beverage on a plane. Who doesn’t?

However, my Sky-et Coke doesn’t always hit quite the same when I’m among the clouds. It turns out that there’s an actual, physiological reason for the shift in soda taste we experience while flying.

The combination of low air pressure and cabin dryness dulls taste buds and messes with our odor receptors, leading to a decrease in sweet and salty flavor detection of about 30%. The noisy atmosphere of a plane can impact your sense of taste, too. Airlines are very aware of the phenomenon and have sponsored studies on it. 

But if you’re a ginger ale fan, you’re in luck: It’s one of the few carbonated beverages that’s better 30,000 feet in the air. The dulling of our sweet receptors means it comes across as sharper and more flavorful in the sky. Tomato juice is also a popular plane choice, because umami taste receptors don’t suffer the same problems when we’re airborne. 

Making A Mini AM Transmitter Better

The chances are that many of you will have made an FM “bug” style transmitter, a simple one-transistor oscillator usually driven by a small electret microphone. It’s also relatively straightforward to do the same for AM, and if you take a look through AliExpress you’ll find some modules which do just that. [Doz Television Workshop] has one, and he’s treated us to a thorough run-down of its design before addressing some of its shortcomings.

An AM transmitter is simple enough, in this case an oscillator and buffer driving a class C power amplifier. The modulation is applied by a transistor in series with the power amp, driven from an audio amplifier. Some attention has gone into the design of this one, with a proper output filter and plenty of room for tweaking to achieve proper levels and modulation density. There are some problems though — The modulator transistor is mounted upside down for the heatsink, and the frequency stability leaves something to be desired. [Doz] fixes the heatsink mounting and incorporates a DDS frequency synthesizer with an Arduino for control.

More after the break…

The resulting transmitter is better, but there’s still a problem. The limitations of AM broadcasting demanded both limiting and pre-emphasis, which he applies in software through one of the more powerful Teensy boards. We have to admit we’d have tried to do the job the analogue way, but that’s merely preference.

This board looks to be a good solution for an AM radio collector wishing to use their sets in an age of declining AM transmission. It should be legal under Part 15 for Americans, but as he points out it’s not for Brits. We suspect such a low-powered device wouldn’t attract adverse attention though. The video is below the break.

If you don’t need so much quality, it’s possible to do the job in a much less elegant manner.

 

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Another day, another donut at the club this morning. We are applying for a grant that would make us handicap accessible, including new doors, a ramp, new bathroom, etc. We estimate it will top $100k, lets see how we do...

FCC Upholds Forfeiture Order Against Amateur Licensee

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has upheld the record fine it proposed in 2022 for an Idaho-based amateur radio operator for intentionally interfering with radio communications directing fire suppression efforts.

In a Forfeiture Order released in early January, the Commission affirmed its original civil penalty of $34,000 against Jason Frawley, a licensee of amateur radio station WA7QC, “for willfully and repeatedly operating without authorization and interfering with the radio communications of the United States Forest Service in 2021.”

Specifically, Frawley was found responsible for interfering with the radio communications of the U.S. Forest Service and the Idaho Department of Lands during efforts to direct fire suppression on a 1000-acre wildfire on national forest land outside of Elk River, Idaho in 2021.

Read more – InCompliance: https://bit.ly/41cl1xv

Lonar Meteor Lake Special Event AU6LON

Lonar Meteor Lake is a creator lake formed by the impact of a meteor 5,00,000 years in the past. It is an astronomical wonder in itself. VU2DSI, Datta from India is operating/activating from this unique place in the world of astronomy from 20 February to 24 February 2025.

Lonar Meteor Lake in Buldhana district, Maharashtra state in India.

Special event callsign AU6LON.

February 20th through February 25th 2025.

  • 10 meters – 28 545, 28520, 28450 & 29650 (FM) kHz.
  • 15 meters- 28350, 21310, 21235 kHz.
  • 20 meters- 14210, 14250, 14330 kHz.
  • 40 meters – 7030, 7140, 1418 kHz.

Source: QRZ

OSU Amateur Radio Club embraces tradition while in new era of communication

Radio waves first created a phenomenon in Oklahoma more than 100 years ago. For the first time, people could hear someone speak from miles away, all from the comfort of their own homes.   

It was almost like magic, inspiring people to learn as much about radio as possible. This enthusiasm turned radio into a hobby, with individuals taking to the airwaves in a non-commercial way. Known as amateur radio, the hobby has been enjoyed for decades.   

Oklahoma State University, then Oklahoma A&M College, created one of the first amateur radio clubs in the U.S. in 1924, located on the fourth floor of what is now Engineering South. Part of the setup was a dipole antenna along the roof, and the derricks that held the antenna were still visible more than 100 years later.  

Engineering students and faculty were able to immerse themselves in rapidly advancing technology, creating an outlet for innovation.   

Under the call sign W5YJ, radio as a hobby continued to advance at OSU through the decades. Over the years, the club became inactive until it rebooted in 2024.  

Bringing back a legacy  

In this new era for the OSU Amateur Radio Club, focus is placed on continuing the original values of learning and technical expertise. The club also wants to expand into more digital and emergency communication.   

The club received $9,700 from the American Radio Relay League Foundation to help it reform for the future. Advanced Technology Research Center room 023 will house the club’s equipment and be the main meeting location during the spring semester. The club may be relocated to a more visible location in the future.

Trey Dorrell, a senior mechanical and aerospace engineering major, is president of W5YJ. He and the club recently participated in Winter Field Day 2025, allowing members to showcase radio’s versatility and importance in a real-world scenario.  

Dorrell was first introduced to amateur radio after getting his radio technician license in 2023 while working for Cowboy Rocketworks. He needed a license to operate the flight computers to track rockets.  

He got a handheld radio and began using repeaters, an amateur station that receives a signal on one frequency and simultaneously retransmitting it on another. By leveraging this technology — similar in principle to the relay systems used in cellular radio — he could extend his communication range and connect with Stillwater Amateur Radio Club members. He then earned his general radio license, which allows a person to use more operating modes and use the majority of the amateur spectrum below 30 megahertz.  

He continued to gain experience with radio and sought advice from Dr. Chuck Bunting, associate dean of research for CEAT, and Tim Sickbert, a lab coordinator in the Noble Research Center, about reviving the club.  

“Reforming W5YJ has been a mix of preserving its history and building something new,” Dorrell said. “The most important part moving forward is getting the word out so students can become involved. Securing funding has been a big step, but now it’s about encouraging participation and creating a community.   

“Once we have a solid group of active members, we can start expanding what the club does, from hosting events and study sessions to organizing operating activities and projects. Building involvement is the foundation for everything else we want to achieve.”  

The club will invest in better equipment, organize more events and activities and create a stronger presence on campus.   

“This is a game-changer for the club and will help us have a much bigger impact moving forward,” Dorrell said. “It will make it much easier for students to explore the hobby without having to invest in their own radios right away.”  

Much more than a hobby   

Bunting, an OSU Amateur Radio Club advisor, was first exposed to shortwave radio as a child visiting his grandparents’ home in Norfolk, Virginia. He still has the tube-type Hallicrafters receiver that sparked his imagination in the 1960s, which led him to electrical engineering and ultimately into electromagnetics.   

Bunting earned his technician and general licenses in February 2021 and took to the local and regional airwaves. Early on, he participated in “Nets,” which he described as being like “radio chat groups” with various topics being discussed, all with the goal of being on the air and communicating. Since 2021, he has had about 16,000 QSOs, or people he has made contact with, in 140 countries.  

Since then, he has been involved with K5SRC, the local amateur radio club in Stillwater, and set out to help revamp the OSU club.   

To Bunting, students engaging in radio provide opportunities in radio, radio science, engineering and communication, and anyone can get as deeply involved as they choose.   

“There are several research programs in engineering that require an amateur radio license to operate transceivers, including the NASA CubeSat program and the OSU rocketry club,” Bunting stated. “These often use APRS (automatic packet reporting system) - a digital communication system that allows sharing of real-time information such as GPS or weather data. Computers now intermingling with radios has unlocked a multitude of possibilities.”  

Something for everyone  

The OSU Amateur Radio Club is looking to recruit and retain members. It has 44 members and counting and aims to showcase the organization's fun and challenging aspects.  

Dorrell said the club offers something for everyone by offering hands-on opportunities to learn practical skills such as electronics, troubleshooting and problem solving. It also introduces students to a global community connected by passionate radio enthusiasts.

“It’s not just a hobby — it’s a gateway to learning, networking and contributing to real-world applications like emergency preparedness or community support,” Dorrell said. “Overall, it’s an accessible and rewarding experience that builds skills for both personal and professional growth.”  

The club is open to all majors and will guide students on the fundamentals of radio and the licensing process.   

Once members get licensed, they can join the weekly network, a conversational meeting held by radio using the club’s repeater. The club also has a portable radio that can be set up for global communication, Morse code and digital modes, which allows text and email to be sent over radio frequencies.   

“We’re also looking to expand into exciting activities like communicating with the International Space Station and practicing emergency preparedness,” Dorrell stated. “And this is just scratching the surface of what the club has to offer.”  

Paxton Bradford, the club’s vice president, is an MAE major expecting to graduate in May 2026. He, like Dorrell, was introduced to radio while using an app to track rockets with Cowboy Rocketworks.   

He said the club is a great way to become involved with something fun and challenging with his peers. It also is a way for students to learn outside of the classroom.   

“The club is not only a great way to become involved with fellow students and even faculty at the school, but it also allows opportunities for students to learn with something that can be challenging but rewarding to master,” Bradford said.  

Bradford suggests anyone interested in the club give it a try as it could be a useful skill to learn that can set someone apart from other students.   

“Members can do several different things with the club now, and the opportunities for what they could do are nearly endless,” Bradford explained.   

Landon Vogts, a senior MAE major, first learned the history of W5YJ through the archives of the Daily O’Collegian on the Edmon Low Library’s website. He also watched Dorrell make long-range contact with one of the club’s radios last year and jumped at the chance to join the club.  

"W5YJ can help OSU students learn about the hobby of a thousand hobbies that is amateur radio,” Vogts said. “Members of W5YJ get to hang out with other hams, learn about amateur radio, and, of course, operate the club's radios. The easiest way to learn about amateur radio with no experience, the way I did it, was to use the HamStudy app on my phone. It has all the questions, answers, and explanations you need to pass your exam and earn your license.” 

TUESDAY EDITION: Still winter here on the island but spring is only one month and one week away...Looks like Panama, Mexico, and Canada all saw the light and got a month reprieve on the tariffs. They will bend to the will of the Pres., border security will be beefed up at their cost and China gets the boot running the Panama Canal....

Capacitor Decoupling Chaos, and Why You Should Abandon 100 nF

Everyone knows that the perfect capacitor to decouple the power rails around ICs is a 100 nF ceramic capacitor or equivalent, yet where does this ‘fact’ come from and is it even correct? These are the questions that [Graham] set out to answer once and for all. He starts with an in-depth exploration of the decoupling capacitor (and related) theory. [Graham] then dives into the way that power delivery is affected by the inherent resistance, capacitance, and inductance of traces. This is the problem that decoupling capacitors are supposed to solve.

Effectively, the decoupling capacitor provides a low-impedance path at high frequencies and a high-impedance path at low frequencies. Ideally, a larger value capacitor would be better, but since this is the real world and capacitors have ESL and ESR parameters, we get to look at impedance graphs. This is the part where we can see exactly what decoupling effect everyone’s favorite 100 nano-farad capacitors have, which as it turns out is pretty miserable.

Meanwhile, a 1 µF (ceramic) capacitor will have much better performance, as shown with impedance graphs for MLCC capacitors. As a rule of thumb, a single large decoupling capacitor is better, while two MLCC side-by-side can worsen noise. Naturally, one has to keep in that although ‘more capacity is better for decoupling’, there is still such a thing as ‘inrush current’ so don’t go too crazy with putting 1,000 µF decoupling capacitors everywhere.

Making the Longest-Distance Radio Contact Possible

One of the more popular activities in the ham radio world is DXing, which is attempting to communicate with radio stations as far away as possible. There are some feats that will earn some major credibility in this arena, like two-way communication with Antarctica with only a few watts of power, long-path communication around the globe, or even bouncing a signal off the moon and back to a faraway point on Earth. But these modes all have one thing in common: they’re communicating with someone who’s also presumably on the same planet. Barring extraterrestrial contact, if you want to step up your DX game you’ll want to try to contact some of our deep-space probes (PDF warning).

[David Prutchi] aka [N2QG] has been doing this for a number of years now and has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. He’s using both a 3.2 meter dish and a 1.2 meter dish for probing deep space, as well as some custom feed horns and other antennas to mount to them. Generally these signals are incredibly small since they travel a long way through deep space, so some amplification of the received signals is also needed. Not only that, but since planets and satellites are all moving with respect to each other, some sort of tracking system is needed to actively point the dish in the correct direction.

With all of that taken care of, it’s time to see what sort of signals are coming in. Compared to NASA’s 70-meter antennas used to communicate with deep space, some signals received on smaller dishes like these will only see the carrier wave. This was the case when an amateur radio group used an old radio telescope to detect one of the Voyager signals recently. But there are a few cases where [David] was able to actually receive data and demodulate it, so it’s not always carrier-only. If you’re sitting on an old satellite TV dish like these, we’d certainly recommend pointing it to the sky to see what’s out there. If not, you can always 3D print one.

Blog – Hackaday Read More

MONDAY EDITION:   Quick plow and we are all set, 2-3 inches of snow

Radio Magic on a Cold Winter’s Night

A January FM E-Skip opening after midnight that was so unusual

In the wee hours of Jan. 14, I experienced a radio propagation event I can only describe as magical. 

If you’re familiar with E-Skip propagation on the FM radio band, you likely associate it with happening in the summertime—and the data backs that up. Now into what will be my 20th year seriously DX’ing on FM, I’ve kept track of when E-Skip openings of more than 30 minutes in duration occur. The lion’s share takes place in May, June and July, with activity often stretching into early August.

Frequency of E-Skip Openings (April to August)

Frequency of E-Skip events since 2005 that I’ve tracked in New Jersey over the April to August period.

But as the late Pat Dyer (WA5IYX), a lifelong student of Sporadic-E, observed, there is also a secondary winter peak period.

Just after midnight on the 14th, I was finishing a walk with my dog, Judy. I noticed on my RabbitEars.Info FM autologger the reception of 92.9 KKXL(FM) from Grand Forks, N.D., approximately 1,230 miles from my location in southern New Jersey. Theoretically, it’s possible to hear that station via meteor scatter propagation, which I’ve written about before. However, that distance would be unusually far for that mode and I’ve never observed KKXL via meteor scatter in the past.

Lo and behold, I checked DXmaps’ real-time QSO spots for six-meter ham contacts and they were active. It was an after midnight E-Skip opening! I figured it probably would exit the FM band pretty quickly, as a previous one earlier this month that I observed did. But once I got to my SDR at home, the band was alive with activity.

Jan. 14, 2025 E-Skip Receptions

The unusual late night Jan. 14, 2025 E-Skip receptions from my location in southern New Jersey.

It was everything I love about a summertime opening to the upper Midwest, only on a 26-degree night in January. The maximum usable frequency was reaching the top of the FM band. I was hearing signals from Winnipeg, Duluth, Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, Minneapolis and Wausau. It kept going into the 1 a.m. hour and the event didn’t wrap up until after 2 a.m.

FM DX’er and TV meteorologist Allan Nosoff listened to the event from Brooklyn, N.Y. He shared an audio clip of 90.9 WHRM(FM) from Wausau, Wis., at the 1 a.m. top of the hour, which contains Wisconsin Public Radio‘s identifier.

Allan also heard 101.5 KSSS(FM) Bismarck, N.D., from his location, at a distance of approximately 1,390 miles. He shared the opening on social media:  ARTICLE

HAMS YOU MIGHT KNOW- ALIVE AND SK

 K1TP- Jon....Editor of As The World Turns....
WB1ABC- Ari..Bought an amp and now we can here him on 75 meters, worships his wife, obsessed with Id'ing
N1BOW-Phil...Retired broadcast engineer, confused and gullible, cheap, only uses singl ply toilet paper
KB1OWO- Larry...Handsome Fellow ,only cuts lawn in August, plows snow the rest in Jackman, Maine
W1GEK- Big Mike....Nearfest Cook, big motor home, electronics software engineer ...
AA1SB- Neil...Living large traveling the country with his girlfriend...loves CW
N1YX- Igor....peddles quality Russian keys, software engineer
K1BGH...Art.....Restores cars and radio gear, nice fella...
N1XW.....Mike-easy going, Harley riding kind of guy!
K1JEK-Joe...Easy going, can be found at most ham flea market ...Cobra Antenna builder..
KA1GJU- Kriss- Tower climbing pilot who cooks on the side at Hosstrader's...
W1GWU-Bob....one of the Hosstrader's original organizers, 75 meter regular, Tech Wizard!!!
K1PV- Roger....75 meter regular, easy going guy...
W1XER...Scott....easy going guy, loves to split cordwood and hunt...
KB1VX- Barry- the picture says it all, he loves food!
KC1BBU- Bob....the Mud Duck from the Cape Cod Canal, making a lot of noise.
W1STS- Scott...philosopher, hat connoisseur,
KB1JXU- Matthew...75 meter regular...our token liberal Democrat out of Florida
K1PEK-Steve..Founder of Davis-RF....my best friend from high school 
K9AEN-John...Easy going ham found at all the ham fests
K1BQT.....Rick....very talented ham, loves his politics, has designed gear for MFJ...
W1KQ- Jim-  Retired Air Force Controller...told quite a few pilots where to go!
N1OOL-Jeff- The 3936 master plumber and ragchewer...
K1BRS-Bruce- Computer Tech of 3936...multi talented kidney stone passing ham...
K1BGH- Arthur, Cape Cod, construction company/ice cream shop, hard working man....
W1VAK- Ed, Cape Cod, lots of experience in all areas, once was a Jacques Cousteus body guard....
K1BNH- Bill- Used to work for a bottled gas company-we think he has been around nitrous oxide to long
W1HHO- Cal...3941 group
K1MPM- Pete...3941 group
WA1JFX- Russell...3941

SILENT KEYS

Silet Key KA1BXB-Don...Regular on 3900 mornings....just don't mention politics to him, please!
Silent Key N1IOM- 3910 colorful regular
Silent Key WS1D- Warren- "Windy" - Bullnet
Silent Key KMIG-Rick....75 Meter Regular....teaches the future of mankind, it's scary!
Silent Key Neil -K1YPM .....a true gentleman
Silent Key K1BXI- John.........Dr. Linux....fine amateur radio op ....wealth of experience...
Silent KeyVA2GJB- Graham...one of the good 14313 guys back in the day.
Silent Key K1BHV- David...PITA
Silent Key W1JSH- Mort...Air Force man
Silent Key K1MAN--Glen....PITA
Silent KeyKB1CJG-"Cobby"- Low key gent can be found on many of the 75 meter nets.........
Silent KeyWB1AAZ- Mike, Antrim, NH, auto parts truck driver-retired
Silent KeyWB1DVD- Gil....Gilly..Gilmore.....easy going, computer parts selling, New England Ham..
Silent Key W1OKQ- Jack....3936 Wheeling and Dealing......keeping the boys on there toes....
Silent Key W1TCS- Terry....75 meter regular, wealth of electronic knowledge...
Silent Key WIPNR- Mack....DXCC Master, worked them all!.. 3864 regular for many years...
Silent Key WILIM- Hu....SK at 92... 3864 regular for many years...
Silent Key N1SIE- Dave....Loves to fly
Silent Key:N1WBD- Big Bob- Tallest ham, at 6'10", of the 3864 group
Silent Key: W1FSK-Steve....Navy Pilot, HRO Salesman, has owned every radio ever built!
Silent Key: W4NTI-Vietnam Dan....far from easy going cw and ssb op on 14275/313
Silent Key:K1FUB-Bill- Loved ham radio....